Founded in 1976 by Stan Shin in Taiwan, Acer Inc. specializes in the manufacture and marketing of computers, monitors and other computer peripherals; today the company is a leading player in its market. The company ranks among the four leading providers of branded computers, and is in second position in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). By taking control of the US computer manufacturer Gateway in August 2007 and Packard Bell in September of that year, Acer has managed to climb to third place among the computer manufacturers with 10% of the worldwide market shares, after its two main competitors, Hewlett-Packard and Dell, but ahead of Lenovo. Acer, which features among the three leading laptop brands in the world, targets individuals and businesses.

This brand achieved its immense success due to its trade policy, which is based on heavily discounted prices and universal accesses like its rival Dell, which the company has carefully studied and imitated. Acer focuses on heavy investment in research and development and marketing. The goal of this company is to enable everyone to own a computer which is easy to use thanks to its user-friendly interface. This strategy has enabled the company to differentiate itself from other brands including Dell. What policy has Acer implemented to ensure its sustainability?

Break down of barriers between people and technology is the long-term mission of Acer, so that everyone can use and enjoy technology. Acer is renowned for the development and manufacture of sophisticated and intuitive designs which are easy to use. The product range of this computer giant can be seen in desktop and notebook computers, servers and storage devices, monitors, peripheral devices and Internet solutions for businesses, the government, education and individuals.

The current boom in sales of laptops is a phenomenon that allows Acer to expand its market share in this sector. Having long been a subcontractor to other companies (IBM) and having mainly focused its activities on the production of components, Acer has decided today to abandon the production activity to concentrate its activities on technologically advanced development. The company now seeks to enable everyone to own a computer with very low prices and ease of adaptation.

With the acquisition of Gateway and the acquisition of Packard Bell in 2007, Acer is expected to significantly increase its sales and its revenue in the years to come. Acer, which already dominates the EMEA region and is the leader in sales of laptop computers in several countries (Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Russia, Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece and Poland) and in second place in others (South Africa, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Turkey and Sweden) with its new acquisitions should obtain further market shares. Gateway very well established in the United States and Packard Bell in Europe should make it easier for the company.

By offering laptops at low prices, the manufacturer has managed to be an important market and it sees to it that the products of the brand always sell well. The third quarter of the 2007 financial results moreover showed that there was a 57.8% increase in net profits.